Dave Randall's best bets for Monday's South African racing

At The Opera
12.30 Flamingo Park
1pt win

Oh Yeah
1.00 Flamingo Park
1pt win

Bright Flame
1.35 Flamingo Park
1pt win

Track Guide

After a multimillion Rand refurbishment of the racing surface and the construction of 140 stables in 2005, the Kimberley Racecourse was renamed Flamingo Park. The Northern Cape Province's racetrack is one of South Africa's few sand tracks and is renowned for creating course specialists. It is a right-handed oval of just under 2,200m (1m3f) and there is a three-furlong run-in.

The 5f straight course joins the round course at that point. The 1m1f races begin from a chute extending beyond the back straight.

An ability to race handy from low numbers is a natural advantage on the round course, but on the straight track the draw advantage can vary.

Analysis

The seventh contest of Monday's nine-race card at Flamingo Park is the feature 6f Pinnacle Stakes (1.35), effectively an open conditions contest.

Stephanie Miller's 97-rated Red Special, three from five over this course and distance, has the highest merit rating in the field but has been off the track since December 2018.

Cliffie Miller's 96-rated Bright Flame was returning from a small break when a staying-on fourth in a slightly-lesser Pinnacle Stakes over a furlong shorter on the straight course here this month. The five-year-old is six from 14 on this course including three wins from four starts over this course and distance.

Collen Storey takes over in the saddle on the selection having won on him twice here in August and September.

The obvious danger is Zietsman Oosthuizen's mare Via Sacra. She has won over this distance and made all over an extra furlong on her first start here last week, but may struggle to see off Bright Flame from a much wider draw in stall ten this time.

The fifth race on the card is a mile merit-rated 72 handicap (12.30). At The Opera left Michael Roberts' care in February shortly after running on into a close second over 7f on Greyville's Polytrack. The four-year-old wasted little time in getting off the mark on this track for Zietsman Oosthuizen when winning well over 1m1f here last week. The drop back to a mile is of little concern and he can follow up from a 4lb higher mark.

The last selection comes in the following 7f merit-rated 66 handicap (1.00), and it is notable that The Private has made the same switch as the earlier selection At The Opera, from Michael Roberts to Zietsman Oosthuizen, having run well at Greyville in February. He still has to prove his effectiveness on the sand, though, and the Miller-trained Oh Yeah is preferred. He cruised to victory over a mile here a fortnight ago and has a favourable draw on this follow-up attempt back slightly in trip.

Place bets on South African Racing and get live text commentaries on the Racing Post. Sign in with your favourite bookmaker via the accounts button and bet directly from our racecards